₦airaland Forum

In one year, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC) has intercepted and recovered the sum of N30 billion meant for constituency projects.

The anti-graft agency made the recoveries from items listed in the budget which were reportedly diverted by some lawmakers.

They were uncovered under the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) phase 7, 2024 which was carried out between December 2023 and December 2024.

The initiative, which was launched in 2015, tracks the implementation and performance of constituency projects to promote accountability.

The focus areas are education, empowerment and capacity building, health, water resources, agriculture, road infrastructure, and power.

LEADERSHIP Weekend discovered that the ICPC tracked a total of 1,500 projects in 22 states during the period under review.

Of the total project value of N610 billion, the ICPC saved N30 billion, recovered N360 million in cash and assets worth N400 million.

In the area of Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), which is a yearly programme of the ICPC, it rated the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) as the lead in its 2024 assessment.

While JAMB achieved 89.75 per cent compliance, the NRC attained 89.33 per cent and NBET 88.73 per cent.

These were part of the ICPC report released during a press conference on Thursday, detailing the assessment of 330 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the country to evaluate their ethical standards, anti-corruption measures, and governance practices.

The assessment focused on key ndicators such as governance and executive management practices, finance and auditing processes, as well as policies, ethics education, and whistle-blowing mechanisms.

The report also showed that the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria Press Council (NPC), Legal Aid Council (LAC), Abuja, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), and Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Abuja, scored zero points in the evaluation – which implied non-compliance.

Similarly, tertiary schools such as the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State; Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation (FFM) in Mando, Kaduna State; Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State; Federal Polytechnic Ede (FPE) in Ede, Osun State, and the University of Ibadan (UI) in Ibadan, Oyo State, were also among those at the bottom of the list.

ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, while briefing the press, said the EICS was designed to enhance the transparency, accountability, and integrity of government institutions, ultimately contributing to the fight against corruption.

He said that the commission will continue to recognise and reward MDAs with substantial compliance, while also holding non-compliant institutions accountable through enforcement actions.

While asserting that the commission will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability, he warned that non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.

“We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption,” he said.

Meanwhile, in general the ICPC recovered a total of N53.1billion in cash and assets in the past one year.

A breakdown of the recovery showed that N29.700 billion was recovered in cash and domiciled in ICPC recovery accounts; N10.986 billion VAT recovered and remitted to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); N10 billion Covid-19 vaccine fund meant for production of vaccine recovered and remitted to the treasury and assets valued at N2.5billion also recovered.

The ICPC chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, while speaking on the general recoveries, said the agency recovered foreign currency of about $966,900.83 in the past one year.

Dr Aliyu explained that the funds were intercepted while conducting Systems Study and Review (SSR) for 323 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of government.

According to him, “As part of its commitment to institutional accountability, the commission assessed 323 MDAs through its Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS).

“It also established 80 Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) across MDAs to reinforce its anti-corruption efforts. While doing these, the commission stopped the diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.882 billion.”

The ICPC boss further disclosed that the organisation had processed 851 petitions, with 342 assigned for investigation, 95 fully investigated, 72 cases filed in court, and 16 convictions secured in the past one year.

While speaking on plans to get faster prosecution of cases, Aliyu said, “In this regard, we are streamlining our processes to ensure faster and more effective prosecution of cases, leading to the resuscitation of 10-15-year-old cases in courts. We have also advanced the fight against sexual harassment and corruption in educational institutions and public offices, achieving ongoing prosecutions and increased public support.”


CSOs Want Perpetrators Sanctioned

Meanwhile, some civil society organisations have called for sanctions against people caught diverting constituency projects.

The convener of the Coalition of Anti-corruption Group, Martins Udeh said anyone caught diverting project funds for personal gains should be jailed.

For his part, the chairman of Transparency Organisation Network Nigeria, Philip Ajah, said Nigeria’s need to publicly name, shame and prosecute all those involved in constituency projects diversion.

By Andrew Agbese


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made several appointments since he assumed office in May last year.

But the frequency with which many of the appointments have been reversed after making them public, is raising concerns among the citizenry.

Many are worried that it should not be so as the processes for appointing people into various offices are well spelt out and any nominee whose processes have not been concluded should not have made public.

A former minister under the President Umaru Yar’Adua administration who chose to not to be named gave Weekend Trust an insight into how appointments that require the imprimatur of the president are made.

He said the process of appointment involves first, thorough search for the suitable person based on qualification, track record and geopolitical/religious balancing.

After this, he said, the person’s name would be forwarded to the intelligence agencies which on their part conduct a thorough search on the person to make sure he has no criminal record or involvement on any matter with security implications.

After receiving security clearance, he is sometimes required to meet either with the president or his chief of staff or any person delegated by the president before the name is made public.

The former minister added that these days, the process involves going through the person’s social media posts to find out his views about issues concerning the government.

This was corroborated by another presidency source who said when there’s a need to fill a particular position, a whole lot come into play.

He said, “After names of qualified persons are submitted to the intelligence community for vetting, they may be contacted for screening and if the person sails through the hurdle, he or she is presented to the President for assent after which the name is released to the public.”

Weekend Trust learnt that normally when the name is announced, it means that every process has been observed and the person is considered appointed unless an unusual thing concerning the person’s health or inability to assume the office occurs.

But what Nigerians have witnessed under the Tinubu administration is that even after such names and offices are made public, it is not yet Eureka and may be premature to celebrate as the appointment can be withdrawn or cancelled outrightly.

It has happened so many times in the current administration that people are cautious about congratulating or celebrating those announced for particular offices after statements are issued from the presidency.

Our correspondents learnt that even media houses have now become reluctant to carry such stories until the person assumes office.

Those close to people who have experienced such reversals lament that they were made to go through a lot of trauma.

One recalled how her close friend was announced for a particular position and those close to the person set up a committee of friends to organize a reception only for the appointment to be cancelled after so much money was collected.

“People contributed money to organise a reception, we started addressing the person by the new office, gifts and cards were coming, people have placed themselves to act in various roles for the nominees only for the appointment to be cancelled.

“I tell you, on the day it was cancelled, it was as if we were bereaved and it took the grace of God for us to calm the person down,” she stated.


Recent cases

The most embarrassing of such reversal was the case of Maryam Shetty, a ministerial nominee from Kano. Shetty’s name was submitted to the Senate among those to be screened as minister and it became public knowledge from there.

She, like others, had prepared for the screening and was reported to be all ready on the D-day at the National Assembly premises waiting to be ushered in only to be told that her name had been withdrawn.


Stella Okotete

After the screening of ministerial nominees and as their confirmation were being awaited, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio made a shocking revelation.

He said the Senate withheld the ministerial confirmation of three nominees because it was “still awaiting security clearance

Stella Oketete, the executive director of business development, Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank was among the three whose confirmation were withheld.


Nasir Elrufai

One of the three names whose confirmations were withheld was the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Elrufai.

Elrufai was earlier reluctant to accept ministerial position as he said he had served in the same position 20 years before that.

But he accepted and submitted himself for screening.

He was only waiting for confirmation and deployment but his confirmation never came.


Danladi Abubakar

The third ministerial nominee to suffer same fate was Senator Danladi Abubakar from Taraba State.

There were reports that his nomination was withdrawn because he was barred from holding public office for 10 years by the Supreme Court but he had refuted that while answering questions from senators during his screening by the Senate.

But even after defending himself during the screening, his confirmation was kept at bay.


Imam Ibrahim Kashim

There’s also the case of Imam Ibrahim Kashim who was appointed chairman of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

Immediately his appointment was made public, it drew lots of criticisms because at 24, he was said to be too young and inexperienced for the office.

The government bowed to pressure and cancelled the appointment less than a week after the announcement was made.


Confusion at CCTV over Umar, Kogo

Following same patterns there’s currently confusion at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as two persons, Danladi Umar, and the newly appointed chairman, Mainasara Kogo, are claiming leadership of the tribunal.

Umar has been heading the Tribunal but was removed through a resolution of the National Assembly.

President Tinubu on July 13, appointed Kogo as the new chairman of the CCT but the process for the removal of Umar was faulted and became a subject of litigation following which he still claims to be the chairman.


Danfulani and SMDF

Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani was initially announced as the executive secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF).

It was said to be based on the assumption that the tenure of Fatima Shinkafi as the executive secretary had expired.

Shinkafi insisted her tenure had not expired and the government has reversed itself on that.


Chairman and members of SEDC

Just this month, Hon. Emeka Atuma, who was announced as chairman of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) board was replaced with Dr Emeka Nworgu.

All the three executive directors initially nominated were also replaced while two additional executive directors were named.

The President also removed one of the board members, Donatus Eyinnah Nwankpa and replaced the executive director for finance on the first list Anthony Ugbo with Stanley Ohajuruka.


Chairman and members of NWDC

The list of members of the inaugural Governing Board of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) was also modified after initial appointment.

In the first list of nominees sent to the Senate late in September, Ambassador Haruna Ginsau was nominated as chairman of the NWDC board with Senator Tijani Yahaya Kaura and Hon. Abdulkadir S. Usman as members.

They were replaced with Alh Lawal Samai’la Abdullahi as new chairman and Ja’afar Abubakar Sadeeq and Yahaya Aminu Abdulhadi, as members.


Media team

Another one that caused a stir in the media and communications team of the President.

Former spokesperson to the president, Ajuri Ngelale resigned his position in September and in November Daniel Bwala was appointed.

Bwala presumed he was appointed to replace Ngelale and assumed duties with the conviction but immediately he made it known to the public, the presidency made some amendments.

Consequently, Mr Sunday Dare, who was Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation was redecorated Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications while Mr Daniel Bwala announced initially as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication was changed to special Adviser Policy Communication.

The Presidency said,” These appointments, along with the existing role of Special Adviser, Information and Strategy , underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the Presidency,” and that Bayo Onanuga retained his position as Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.


2 MDs for UNRBDA

The appointment of two persons as managing directors/chief executives of the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, UNRBDA has added another case to the list of government’s untidiness regarding the issue of appointments.

It has been reported that after President Tinubu appointed Aliyu Tajudeen as the managing director and CEO of the UNRBDA, another person, Dangajere Jaja name was also listed for the same position.

The development is said to be as a result of a power tussle between two powerful persons who are backed each of the two for the position.

The matter is compounded by the fact the two have been issued appointment letters for the same position.


Ministries and agencies

During the last cabinet reshuffle, Ministries and agencies were also restructured.

The Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development now became the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the Regional Development Commissions.

The Ministry of Sports Development was wound down and its functions transferred to the National Sports Commission.

The Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture were merged to become Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.


Reaction

Attempts by our correspondents to get the reaction of the presidency over why the changes and counter changes have been occuring have not been successful as the media team did not respond to our inquiries.


Medical implications on people

Speaking about the mental health implication of the cancelled appointments by the Tinubu administration, Anamayi Dorcas, Psychiatrist at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, outlined the mental health impact such an action can cause on an individual.

She said in an interview with our correspondent that “Having hope for anything at all not just appointment can affect a person’s mental health, especially for someone who has not been in that position or taking a higher role, it comes with a lot of excitement and nervousness which generally puts the person in a state of mind

“Where you end up reversing it, it ends up affecting a lot of things about the person which includes self esteem. Where the person starts to wonder and doubt their capacity”

Speaking about the measures that can be taken by affected individuals and government to avoid mental breakdown, Dr Dorcas advised that it is best to “keep an open mind from beginning, that things may change and make sure it has been confirmed, before you get comfortable because the disappointment that comes with not getting what you thought you were prepared for can weigh one down.

“The government should also be sure of who or what position to avoid changes that can cause someone their health.”

She also advised affected persons to seek professional help, “seek for therapy”, which according to her, it will help ease the pain of disappointment,” she added.


No legal grounds to sue for withdrawal of appointment – Lawyers

Responding, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) said there can be no legal implication where there is a reason given for the withdrawal of an appointment.

“Where the cancellation or withdrawal is ascribed to a wrongdoing which questions the reputation of the person concerned, the person may sue for damage to reputation (defamation).

Similarly, E.M.D. Umukoro Esq said there is no legal basis to sue after being dropped from an earlier appointment because such are at the pleasure of the appointer.

“Except where the appointment has certain procedure that doesn’t give room for change but in this case the president or governors have a lot of latitude,” he said.

He added that establishing a case may also require, in extreme circumstances, the prospective appointee could also show that not being appointed had some consequences on his or her person.

By Hussein Yahaya


The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has given owners of the 762 plots of land in Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone, A10, Abuja, a fresh two-week ultimatum to pay for their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) or risk final revocation of their allocation.

The FCT Administration had in a publication on Thursday revoked the land titles belonging to a former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abass; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and others for failing to pay or settle their balances for their C-of-Os.

However, a statement on Friday by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Wike reiterated that the primary interest was not revoke the lands, but to ensure the owners make necessary payments to the government.

The statement read, “It should be recalled that on October 5, 2024, list of 3,273 allottees/title holders that were yet to pay for their C-of-O were published. They were offered two weeks to pay their bills or lose their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) titles. Out of the 3,273, a total of 2,511 complied, leaving 762.

“Yesterday (Thursday), notice of withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of the 762 defaulters was published.

“Since then, many of the affected allottees have offered to pay, and since the primary aim of the government is to ensure payment, a two weeks grace has been given.

“Consequently, the 762 allottees and the 614 others with outstanding payment on C-of-O will have till January 3, 2025 to pay, or have their R-of-O titles withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978.

“After January 3, 2025, there will be no further extension and withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of defaulters will be final.”

Nigeria’s Supreme Court and 14 other government bodies have failed ethics and integrity tests for 2024, the latest in the annual series of assessments by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The ICPC report is consistent with general perception of pervasive corruption and irregularities in the judiciary, which both serving and retiring justices of the Supreme Court have confirmed at various times.

The ICPC unveiled the 2024 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) at its headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The anti-corruption agency said none of the 330 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) assessed in 2024 achieved full compliance.

The assessment covered key indicators, including Management Culture and Structure (MCS); Governance and Executive Management; Financial Management Systems (FMS); Finance, Revenue, and Audit Processes; and Administrative Systems (AS), which encompass policies, ethics education, and whistle-blowing mechanisms.

It was revealed that the 15 non-compliant MDAs failed due to systemic issues such as the absence of whistleblower policies, inadequate strategic plans, and ineffective stock verification systems.

More so, many of the institutions examined also failed to produce financial reports or conduct audits, further contributing to the erosion of public trust.

The Supreme Court and others at the bottom of the list scored zero per cent overall, compared with an agency like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which scored 89.75 per cent.

The 15 institutions with 0.00 score include: Supreme Court of Nigeria, Nigeria Press Council (NPC), Legal Aid Council (LAC), National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), and Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON).

The rest are Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe; National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Ningi, Bauchi State; Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Jos; Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; Federal College of Forestry Mechanization (FCFM), Mando, Kaduna State; Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State; and Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, and University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Strengthening the perception of extensive judicial corruption and lack of transparency in the institution, a retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Dattiji Mummad, in his valedictory remarks in October last year, made scathing comments about alleged corrupt handling of the judiciary’s funds and the judiciary’s affairs.

He said this questionable conduct permeated the Nigerian judiciary from the Supreme Court down the country’s court hierarchies.

Earlier in May in 2023, a retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Ejembi Eko, similarly lamented the corruption in the Nigerian judiciary, especially in the handling of its finances. He, therefore, called on anti-graft agencies to probe the financial records of the judiciary.

The ICPC report comes amid ripples generated by activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi’s book, alleging widespread corrupt practices in the Supreme Court and other courts.

The book, a raw and unfiltered account of the author’s views about the Nigerian justice system, is titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

Mr Farotimi is facing criminal and civil defamation cases as a result of the book.

High performing agencies and other findings
A review of the report by PREMIUM TIMES showed some high performers, including JAMB with 89.75 per cent.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), scored 88.73 per cent, while the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) scored 88.73 per cent

ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, represented by spokesperson Demola Bakare at the unveiling of the report on Thursday, noted the commission’s role in fostering compliance through the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) in MDAs.

He said the units are expected to monitor the effectiveness of accountability systems within institutions, contributing to improved service delivery and public welfare.

Mr Bakare said out of the MDAs evaluated, 29.55 per cent obtained substantial compliance, 51.62 per cent had partial compliance, and 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance.

While only 2.92 per cent were deemed completely non-compliant.


Risk assessment plan

“Common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units.

“Many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports,” he noted.

He said while ICPC continues to enforce penalties for non-compliance, the commission’s primary focus is on helping agencies align with ethical standards.

“Our approach is to support MDAs in improving their internal systems, but if they fail to comply after due processes, we will pursue legal action,” said Mr Bakare.

“The Supreme Court of Nigeria, for example, has been flagged for non-responsiveness to several requests and will be closely monitored in the coming year.”

Mr Bakare said the commission is set to launch sectorial rankings of government agencies, including corruption risk assessments, aimed at identifying high-risk institutions and guiding them toward better compliance.

“We’re taking a proactive approach by assessing corruption risks in sectors and enforcing accountability,” Mr Bakare added. “While we understand the challenges in many MDAs, we are committed to using these rankings to prioritise reforms.”


Whistleblower, recovery

On the issue of whistleblower protection, Mr Bakare reassured the public that it is dedicated to safeguarding individuals who report corruption.

He said that there have been no recent reports of retaliation because ICPC has intervened in the past to protect whistleblowers.

Mr Bakare explained that between December 2023 and December 2024, the ICPC tracked 1,500 projects across 22 states valued at N610 billion.

He said during this period, the commission recovered N346 million in cash and assets worth N400 million and helped the government save N30 billion.

“Many of these projects were either abandoned or poorly executed due to lack of oversight,” Mr Bakare noted. “Our focus is on ensuring that the funds meant for these projects are used properly and that public services meet their intended objectives.”


Call for systemic reform

He urged the federal government to implement deeper reforms to address the persistent gaps in governance spotlighted by this year’s EICS.

The commission called for stronger whistleblower protections, better management systems within MDAs, and more rigorous oversight mechanisms to prevent the misuse of public funds.

“We cannot fight corruption alone,” Mr Bakare added. “The support of Nigerians and the media is essential in ensuring the success of our efforts to bring transparency and integrity to the public sector.”


Constituency projects monitoring

Meanwhile, the Head of the Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), Jimoh Sulaiman, explained the positive impact of project tracking on governance.

He emphasised that the initiative had significantly improved project completion rates while fostering greater public awareness and engagement with constituency projects.

“Nigerians now realize that funding for these projects comes from the Federal Government, not the personal finances of politicians. This understanding has driven them to demand greater accountability,” Mr Sulaiman remarked.

A 65-year-old man, Olalekan Ogunjobi, has been nabbed by the Ogun State Police Command in connection with the death of a woman found in his apartment.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the woman, identified as Serifatu Disu, had left her husband’s house to visit Ogunjobi at his apartment in Fatima Castle, Konigba, located in the Ago-Iwoye area of the state.

Although PUNCH Metro could not confirm the nature of the relationship between Ogunjobi and Disu, the Ogun State Police Command, which confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Thursday, stated that the 60-year-old woman complained of chest pain around 12:40 a.m. on Wednesday and collapsed shortly after stepping out of the room.

The police revealed that despite Ogunjobi’s efforts to administer first aid, Disu lost consciousness and passed away shortly after.

The spokesperson for the command, Chief Superintendent of Police, Omolola Odutola, stated that the Divisional Police Officer of Ago-Iwoye was contacted and promptly arrived at the apartment.

“Olalekan Ogunjobi, a 65-year-old resident of Fatimoh Castle, Konigba, Ago-Iwoye, stated that Serifatu Disu, a 60-year-old woman and a friend of his, left her husband’s home to visit him late at night.

“Around 12:40 a.m., she began complaining of chest pain. Shortly after stepping outside, she collapsed and lost consciousness.

“Despite efforts to revive her, they were unsuccessful. The Crime Branch of the Ago-Iwoye Division has launched a preliminary investigation, and Olalekan has been taken into custody for further questioning.

Odutola noted that the body had been removed and taken to the Ijebu-Ode Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.

“We have visited the scene, and the body has been taken to the General Hospital in Ijebu Ode, where it will be moved to the mortuary for an autopsy. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available,” Odutola added.

A similar incident occurred on December 3 when 22-year-old Joseph Prince was arrested and detained after his 22-year-old girlfriend, Agala Peace, died under mysterious circumstances in the Ota area of the state.

Prince was transporting his ailing girlfriend to the hospital on Tuesday when she passed away

Solomon Dalung, a former Minister of Youth and Sports, has explained the influence of cabals in Nigerian governance.

He spoke on the Mic On Podcast published on Sunday.

Dalung, who served as minister in the first term of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, alleged how a powerful group hijacked power after the former president’s victory in 2015.

Asked to describe what a cabal means, he said it is “a group of ambitious people who were also appointed by the same president to help him govern but they will run his presidency at their own expense and interest.”

He revealed that shortly after Buhari’s election, a powerful group emerged from “nowhere,” sidelining those who had campaigned for the president.

“When the president was declared winner, I was with him in his office. I went to see him in the evening. That very day, I was blocked from going into his house, and this was the same place as the last night of the previous day, I was there till 2 a.m.

“I was blocked until I had to make calls before I was allowed to go in till I was able to make calls to assess Buhari before I was allowed. So, from that day, the cabal had taken over,” Dalung said.

He continued: “The people who truly worked for Buhari went celebrating and left the president vulnerable. These people, who understood power, took over and ran the government to their interest until eight years were gone.”

Daily Trust reports that after Buhari assumed power in 2015, there were several reports and references to a certain “cabal” controlling his government.

The significant increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) collections in Q3’24 compared with the previous quarter partly mirrors the impact of the naira’s depreciation as well as the persistently high cost of living in the country, analysts at CSL Research have said.

The analysts stated this in a report which focused on the VAT report for Q3’ 2024 released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Nigerians have, in the last two years, grappled with surging inflation, which recently hit a 28-year high, occasioned by factors such as elevated food prices, insecurity in agricultural regions, high input costs, supply chain disruptions from flooding and a persistent naira depreciation.

Dissecting the Q3’24 VAT data, the CSL Research analysts stated: “Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that aggregate Value Added Tax (VAT) for Q3’24 grew by 14.16 per cent to N1.78 trn from N1.56 trillion in Q2’24.

“A breakdown of the Q3 figures shows that local VAT payments amounted to N922.87 billion, a 16.44 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth.

Foreign VAT payments totalled N448.85 billion, rising by 13.42 per cent QoQ, while import VAT contributed N410.62 billion, showing a 10.10 per cent QoQ growth.

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, VAT collections in Q3’24 surged by 88.00 per cent compared to Q3 2023. “The most significant YoY increases were recorded in foreign VAT payments (+119.40%) and import VAT payments (+85.46%).

Within the local VAT segment, mining and quarrying experienced an exceptional growth of +200.96 per cent YoY.

These figures reflect, in part, the impact of currency depreciation and the persistently high cost of living in the country compared to previous quarters.”

The analysts, who noted that VAT is a critical source of government revenue in Nigeria, as it has accounted for approximately 5–8 per cent of Federal Government revenue recently, also pointed out that with 85 per cent of VAT revenue statutorily allocated to state and local governments, it a key pillar of subnational financing.

Commenting on the raging debate over the VAT distribution formula contained in the tax reform bill proposed by the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, the analysts disagreed with the view that the proposed formula will significantly reduce VAT allocations to many northern states.

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The analysts said: “The new bill suggests a 60 per cent: 20 per cent 20 per cent t allocation formula among states based on derivation, equality of states, and population, respectively.

This contrasts with the current formula of 20 per cent, 50 per cent 30 per cent. Contrary to widespread concerns that the proposed changes would significantly reduce allocations to many northern states, we believe the impact may be less severe than anticipated.

Two key factors support this view: The proposed reduction of the Federal government’s VAT share from 15% to 10% would leave a larger pool of VAT revenue for distribution among the states (and) shifting from the current system where VAT is attributed to the states where payments are made to one that credits states based on where consumption occurs would ultimately increase the VAT revenue retained by states.”

Two Russian oil tankers with 29 crew members on board have been heavily damaged in the Black Sea, triggering an oil spill, authorities in Russia have said.

Footage released by Russia’s Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office showed one of the tankers broken in half and sinking amid a heavy storm, with streaks of oil visible in the water. At least one crew member was reportedly killed.

The second ship was said to have drifted after sustaining damage. The incident took place in the Kerch Strait, which separates Russia from Crimea – the Ukrainian peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, reports the BBC.

President Vladimir Putin has ordered a working group to be set up to deal with the incident, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev – and authorities are investigating for criminal negligence.

A rescue and clean-up operation is said to be under way involving tugboats, helicopters and more than 50 personnel.

Adata review for the second quarter debt portfolio of the country released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that the debt owed by every Nigerian on the average stood at N619,501.

According to the data published by the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s public debt stood at N134.297 trillion as of the second quarter of 2024 (June, 2024).

With the National Bureau of Statistics putting the country’s population at 216.7 million persons, it would mean that debt per capita stands at N619,501 based on the latest debt figure released by the DMO.

Put into further context, each Nigerian owes nine times the newly approved minimum wage of N70,000, if debt per capita is put into context.

Nigeria’s Debt Profile Grows By Record N46.9trillion Under Tinubu-Led Government

The debt data further shows that domestic debt stands at N71.2trillion, whole external debt stands at N63 trillion.

Of the amount owed, States owe N7.1 trillion externally while the federal government owes N55.8 trillion externally.

States owe N4.2 trillion domestically while federal government owes N66.9 trillion.

The new debt figure of the country put at N134 trillion is a N13 trillion increase from the N121 trillion recorded as of March 2024.

The development is amid clamour for less reliance on loans by the Nigerian government.

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Some irate fans of Plateau United on Sunday evening attacked the team bus of Enugu Rangers after the Flying Antelopes held their football club to a goalless draw on the Match Day 11 of the 2024/2025 Nigerian Football League.

This was disclosed by an official of the team, Felix Ifeanyi, who said the team bus and some of their players were attacked by the fans of the host team after the match.

He said: “Today, just a draw in Jos, Plateau United fans ‘scatter’ (damaged) our bus and beat our players. The damage done to the bus alone can't be repaired with nothing less than millions. Is this the league we wanted? It's well anyway... God dey!!!”

A picture obtained by SaharaReporters shows one of the assaulted players with a bloodied face.

A press statement issued by the Enugu Rangers management revealed that the team has petitioned the appropriate authorities to probe the attack on their players and bus in Plateau.

The statement reads: “We wish to inform you about the unfortunate incident that occurred during our match against Plateau United in Jos.

“The attack on our team was unwarranted, and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure justice is served. A petition has been submitted to the relevant authorities, and we will not rest until this issue is thoroughly addressed and resolved.”

Reacting, Plateau United management, in a separate statement, claimed that the attack on the visiting team occurred outside the stadium.

The statement added that the host team should not be liable for the ugly incident.

The statement reads: “At the Culmination of NPFL25 Match Day 11 game involving Plateau United FC and Rangers International of Enugu in Jos, viral photographs and videos flooded diverse media platforms showcasing an injured player of Rangers International of Enugu.

“The Rangers team claimed fans of Plateau United FC attacked them using harmful pebbles, resulting in the injury of one player and destruction of property.

“It must be stated that at the culmination of the Match Day 11 game, players and officials of Rangers International of Enugu departed the New Jos Stadium safely without any form of molestation.

“More so, the technical team successfully held a post-match interview at the media conference room before departing.

“On cross examination, reports say the visiting team had covered almost two kilometres off the stadium facility before the incident occurred.

“While It remains unclear how and why the incident occurred, it is key to note that once the visiting team leaves the parameters of the stadium, security pulls off the grasp of the host team by virtue of jurisdiction.

“While Plateau United FC condemns any form of hooliganism amongst its fan base, the club is insistent it knows nothing about the attack nor has anything to do with the accused persons that attacked.

“According to Plateau United FC General Manager, Habila Hosea Mutla, ‘we are a peaceful club who believe in either of three outcomes when we step out for an encounter is to win, lose or draw’.

“Hence, we will do everything within our powers to maintain law and order within the stadium perimeter.”

Outgoing Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has been spotted in Lagos, contrary to claims by governor-elect Senator Monday Okpebholo that Obaseki had fled Nigeria.

This news comes from sources who informed SaharaReporters of the sighting on Sunday evening.

Godwin Obaseki has been the Governor of Edo State since 2016. His initial election was under the All Progressives Congress (APC) but he later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Okpebholo had accused Obaseki of fleeing Nigeria through the land borders.

Okpebholo is expected to be sworn into office on Tuesday, meaning that Obaseki will lose his immunity.

Obaseki last week said he heard that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was planning to arrest him after the expiration of his tenure as governor.

In a statement made available to journalists on Sunday and signed by his media aide, Godspower Inegbe, Okpebholo said Obaseki’s whereabouts were unknown.

The statement accused Obaseki of chasing out everyone from the Government House on Friday before escaping to a yet-to-be known location days before his official departure from office.

“As of Friday, 8th of November, the whereabouts of Obaseki are unknown. He has chased everyone out of Edo State Government House. He has abandoned governance in the State, and he is on the run.

“He has escaped through the road out of Benin. He did not pass through the airport. If he is as popular as he claims, why did he not use the airport to escape? Instead, he hired a bus and disguised while escaping from Edo State.

“Obaseki is trying to push out these narratives in order to distract the public. His antics will not work. We know his plans, and we will continue to expose his shenanigans to Edo people,” the statement read.

However, SaharaReporters learnt that Obaseki was spotted in Lagos on Sunday evening.

“Obaseki did not flee Nigeria; it is a lie. There was nothing like that. He is in Lagos right now as I speak so there is no truth to the claim made by the governor-elect,” one of the sources said.

Obaseki, on Saturday, claimed that Senator Okpebholo did not invite him to his inauguration slated for next Tuesday.

“Obaseki will soon lose his immunity and if he continues to make his baseless claims, he will face the full wrath of the law very soon and he will prove his unfounded allegations when he is dragged to court,” Okpebholo warned in the statement.

Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, the newly minister of housing and urban development, says his mission is to recapture Kano state for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ata spoke with journalists in Kano at the weekend following his swearing in as a minister.

Kano was under the control of the APC when Abdullahi Ganduje, national chair of the party, was governor of the state.

The party lost control of the state to the New Nigeria’s People Party (NNPP) in the 2023 polls.

The housing minister said his appointment was mainly for political reasons.

“APC has lost Kano state and now it will take Kano state. The main problem is the Kano central and I am from there,” Daily Trust quoted him as saying.

“Even as a minister I will continue to sit in this Ward, we are going to work very hard to see that APC gains control of Kano state by 2027.

“I am posted to the ministry of housing and urban development, I will do my work but I will be coming to Kano state every week so as to work towards gaining control of the state.”

The minister said his appointment is for the people of Kano.

By Musa Ubandawaki,


Unknown to many, the new terrorist group, Lakurawa, the army raised the alarm about, last week, did not just spring up recently.

As far back as 2018, it was discovered that the group had commenced operations in Gongono Forest, Tangaza Local Government Area.

This is the story:

On December 16, 2018, I received a call from then Sokoto State Director of the Department of State Services, Ibrahim Bello, while on a visit to my village.

Bello said he wanted to see me for a discussion.

I left my village early Sunday morning with my family to meet the DSS boss.

At 2pm, I received another call from the same person asking if I had arrived Sokoto, I said yes. He asked me to come to his office, which I did without hesitation.

My conversation with the DSS boss while in his office was if I was aware of the presence of a terrorist group in Tangaza Local Government. I said no, that I was not aware.

After responding to his question, he started telling me about the emergence of the group and support given by the then Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, to security operatives including DSS, Police and Army to chase the group out of Gongono Forest.

He said Tambuwal had offered series of support to security agencies fighting the group in Gongono Forest, which served as their hideout and centre of the their activities.

The DSS boss asked me to write a report on the emergence of the group and how security operatives in the state chased them out after killing their members and setting the entire forest ablaze.

Few members of the group pleaded for one week extension for them to leave the area completely, saying they sent a member on an errand to Lagos to disposed their cattle after which they will relocate to where they initially came from. The group, according to communities in the area were initially invited by nomadic herdsmen formerly occupying the area for protection against bandits who often conduct series of attacks and rustled their cattles.

Shortly after their arrival, the jihadists who were said to hail from two African countries, Algeria and Mali, established what seems to be like a colony or an empire with strict adherence to Islamic ideology.

The group banned cigarettes smoking, alcoholism, adultery, non-shaving of bears among men and ensured mandatory wearing of hijabs for Women.

Also, the sect enforced Zakkat on Fulani with large number of herds of livestock sale as enshrined in the Holy Qur’an.

The group’s re-emergence might not be unconnected with the location of the forest and its lush vegetation that stands between the borders of Nigeria and Niger as well as its proximity to Niger Republic, the country that shares bother with Algeria and Mali

The Malian jihadists were also reported to engage in the struggle to establish a training base for hard-line Islamic fundamentalism in the area.

During the group’s first encounter with security agents in the densely populated forest in Gongono, many extremists were killed after which jihadists’ flag was recovered.

It is their symbol of authority with Islamic inscription similar to that of Alshabab, the group operating in Somalia.

After the encounter with security agents, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association issued a statement, saying the jihadists were not terrorists as claimed but herdsmen from Mali, adding that nobody should disturb them.

This was despite evidence that they had seized many communities in two Local Government Areas of the state and forcing them to pay taxes.

Tangaza/Gudu Federal Constituency is surrounded by two forests that include DarnaTsaulawo Forest that stretches to Gwadabawa, Illela and Niger Republic and Kuyan Bana forest which extends to Gudu and Niger Republic.

Sani Alhaji Yakubu, a member of the National Assembly representing the area, revealed that the terrorists have joined forces and vowed to make life difficult for people who are predominantly farmers in the area.

He said: “The two forests house two terrorist groups, the Lakurawa who claimed to be jihadists from Niger, Mali, Libya, Algeria and the local Bandits.

“The two groups who were earlier sworn enemies, have now joined forces, making it much more difficult for deployed security operatives to penetrate or cordon the the general area of the forest.

In his motion at the floor of the National Assembly, Yakubu urged the military to deploy more personnel and hardwares to comb the forests to flush out criminals.

“People of my constituency are always in shackles of one terrorists group or the other since 2018 and government is not doing enough to free them from the groups wanton attacks and cattle rustling.”

The first victim of the group when they first arrived at the area was a traditional ruler, the District head of Balle, the headquarters of Gudu Local Government Area, Magajin Garin Balle, who was beheaded by the group after a misunderstanding between the sect and his son.

Defence Headquarters had raised the alarm, last week, about the new terrorist group with strongholds in Sokoto and Kebbi states, saying they are already causing havoc.

”Now that we know where they are, we are already going after them, and we will take them out,” Defence Headquarters spokesman Maj-Gen Edward Buba, said.

According to him, the sect is linked to Islamic State ,ISIS.

He added that when they settled in Sokoto and Kebbi, the people did not raise the alarm until they started their nefarious activities.

Donald Trump, US president-elect, has asked his supporters to help offset the campaign expenses of the Democrats.

The Kamala Harris-Tim Walz campaign is reportedly grappling with $20 million in election campaign debts.

In a tongue-in-cheek post on social media on Sunday, Trump asked his supporters to help Democrats pay off the debts “for the sake of desperately needed unity”.

The president-elect said his campaign has “a lot of money left” in the tank because most of its publicity was through earned media.

“I am very surprised that the Democrats, who fought a hard and valiant fight in the 2020 Presidential Election, raising a record amount of money, didn’t have lots of $’s left over. Now they are being squeezed by vendors and others,” Trump wrote.

“Whatever we can do to help them during this difficult period, I would strongly recommend we, as a Party and for the sake of desperately needed UNITY, do.

“We have a lot of money left over in that our biggest asset in the campaign was “Earned Media,” and that doesn’t cost very much. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Unlike paid media, earned media is publicity gained organically, rather than through paid advertising. This includes coverage that an individual or organisation receives through news stories, social media mentions, shares, reviews or other forms of third-party endorsement.

On Wednesday, Trump defeated Harris of the Democratic Party to win the US presidential election. He will be inaugurated 47th president of the US in January.

ADEFEMOLA AKINTADE


The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said on Tuesday that Iran’s “nefarious activities” have spread from the Middle East to Africa and particularly, Nigeria.

He added that the Iranian forces were “working to destabilise” Nigeria.

The Israeli envoy made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday at the screening of the documentary titled ‘We Will Dance Again: Surviving October 7th’ by Yariv Mozer organised to commemorate first anniversary since Hamas invaded Israel and abducted its citizens.

The militant group abducted 396 partygoers in Israel and released some of them following the intervention of the U.S. and UN. But 101 people are still being held hostage and used to negotiate with Israel.

Mr Freeman described Iranians as “tyrants” whose proxies from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon wreaked devastation on different countries and threw millions into misery, noting that Nigeria was among the nation’s victims.

“The tyrants in Tehran are responsible for the destabilisation of countries and the misery of millions,” the Israeli envoy claimed on Wednesday.

“Yet, Iran’s nefarious activities are not limited to the Middle East. Let me be clear, Iran’s leaders are also working to destabilise Western Africa, including here in Nigeria,” he alleged.

Israel had extended the war on Gaza to Lebanon —one of Hamas’s strongest allies—launching missiles that have killed hundreds and destroyed critical infrastructure.

Mr Freeman stated that Israel would halt its incursion on Lebanon on one condition, —”the full implementation of UN resolution 1701” stipulating demilitarisation and disarmament of Hezbollah forces.

“The war in Lebanon will only end with the full implementation of UN resolution 1701 – with Hezbollah unable to rearm, and pushed back beyond the Litani River and the Lebanese army in control of the South of Lebanon,” Mr Freeman insisted.

The envoy thanked the Nigerian government and the U.S. for standing by Israel during its war against multiple nations.

“Over the past year, the support shown by President Biden, as well as by Republicans and Democrats alike has been overwhelming and I am confident that whoever wins today’s (Tuesday) presidential election, will continue that steadfast support. But it hasn’t just been the U.S., and I want to thank all of those countries that have stood by us, publicly and behind the scenes,” said Mr Freeman

“I also want to thank all of our friends in Nigeria who have stood with us.”

The Iranian authorities did not immediately return comments to claims of plotting to destabilise Nigeria.

Mr Freeman stated, “This is not a war we wanted. This is not a war we started. Hamas and Hezbollah attacked Israel. And today we face a war on seven fronts – all of it sponsored by Iran.

Young women in Nigeria have reportedly been targeted by Russia for recruitment into weapons manufacturing roles. Recent findings indicate that Russia sought these young women from Nigeria and various other African nations to work in harsh conditions at factories responsible for producing drones intended for use in Ukraine.

The recruitment campaigns predominantly leveraged social media, enticing women with misleading promises of lucrative careers, complimentary travel, educational opportunities, and the chance to forge new friendships. Interested candidates only needed to pass a brief Russian language test and complete a computer program to apply.

The women, largely aged between 18 and 22, were drawn to the Tatarstan region of Russia following persuasive social media advertisements, some of which were backed by governmental and media endorsements.

A Deceptive Opportunity

The Associated Press broke the story, highlighting revealed that women from Nigeria, as well as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Sierra Leone were being enticed with ads that presented them with these ambitious work opportunities and a chance at a new life in Europe. This was all a ruse. Instead, they were transported to work in drone factories in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone.

Many of the fake opportunities were promoted on the social media page “Alabuga Start.” One post described the Alabuga Start program as an international program, showing pictures of young women receiving diplomas, gaining experience in industries like hospitality and logistics, and spending free time with friends.

The nature of the jobs advertised to these young Nigerian women were deceptive and ambiguous. However, it was clear that recruitment efforts were specifically targeted at women between the ages of 18 and 22. It hasn’t been made clear why these young Nigerian women and women from across Africa were targeted, over older women or men. However, AP reported that some analysts have suggested that officials may have thought that young women are easier to control.

The ads outlined that they didn’t need any work experience or prior training to participate in the program and, in return for hard work, they were promised a good wage and career opportunities.

According to a Facebook page promoting the Alabuga Start program, 182 women were recruited through these online efforts in the first half of 2024. Many came from Nigeria and central and east African countries.

The advertisements also advertised that no prior work experience was necessary, and in exchange for their labour, participants were promised decent wages and career advancement opportunities. According to a Facebook page promoting the Alabuga Start initiative, a total of 182 women were recruited via these digital campaigns during the first half of 2024, with numerous recruits hailing from Nigeria and central and eastern African nations.

Challenging Working Conditions and Surveillance

Using it various disinformation platforms on social media and on various web sites, young women were invited to make application for these lucrative offers. Those who took the risk and travelled to Russia have many months later emerged and blown the whistle on Russia’s duplicity and the exploitation that they were subjected to while enrolled in this Alabuga Start International programme. Many young women are now speaking out about the shock they experienced when they were trained and put to work in the Alabuga Drone factory to assemble drones that were destined to be used in the Russian- Ukrainian conflict.

Despite being a signatory to the 1930 Convention on Forced labour, Russia is in full violation of International Labour law. Russia has, using duplicity lured and forced young African women into forced labour in its weapons and munitions factory in the Tartastan region. Young women who have since escaped from this forced labour have described the horrendous and dangerous working conditions, they were subjected to in the Alabuga drone factory. Some of the gross violations they were subjected to included working in inhumane conditions, working for long hours, and handling dangerous chemicals without being provided with protective clothing to safeguard their health.

The United Nations and nations of the world should raise their united voices in condemning Russia’s illegal human labour violations and trafficking. This gross disregard for human rights and the ILO convention should be particularly condemned and the worlds collective voice should unify behind the safeguarding of Human rights in this day and age. Critical awareness should be raised to the nations of the world that Russia is exploiting the tough economic times that various economies of the world are going through to lure and traffic young women.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals yesterday expressed its support for healthy competition that drives innovation and quality, saying it looked forward to the upcoming commissioning of the four state-owned refineries as promised by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

It also advised Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited that deregulation should not be used as a justification to import “off-spec petroleum products” or the undermining of Nigeria’s national interests.

The refinery spoke in response to comment by Robert Dickerman, CEO of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, where it denied blending sub-standard petroleum products.

In the statement, the refinery said, “At Dangote Petroleum Refinery, we are committed to ensuring that Nigeria becomes self-reliant in petroleum production, and we welcome competition that drives innovation and quality.

“However, we will never allow the continued importation and blending of petroleum products, nor the deliberate destruction of our national economy. We believe that a strong, self-sufficient energy sector is vital to Nigeria’s economic growth, and we will continue to advocate for policies and practices that protect our industries and the well-being of all Nigerians,” it said.

Dangote refinery also reiterated its support for deregulation and industrialisation, saying this support is grounded in a commitment to the sustainable growth of the country’s economy and the protection of its people from exploitation.

It stated that the health and safety of Nigerians should never be compromised in the pursuit of profit.

“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Company has long been an advocate for deregulation and industrialisation in Nigeria, but our support is rooted in a commitment to the sustainable growth of the country’s economy and the protection of its people from any exploitation. Unlike Dickerman’s view, deregulation should not be a licence for the importation and distribution of off-spec products or the subversion of national interests,” it said.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery called on the government, patriotic Nigerians, and local businesses to remain steadfast in defending the country’s sovereignty and economic independence.

“The choice we face is between fostering industrialisation or allowing Nigeria to remain a dumping ground for inferior products while exporting jobs. For nearly three decades, cartels and their collaborators have sabotaged efforts to develop Nigeria’s refining capacity, keeping the country dependent on imported products. The time has come to end this cycle of exploitation and ensure that Nigeria’s energy sector works for the benefit of its people,” it added.

President Bola Tinubu has directed that the national flag must be flown half-mast.

This is due to the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who died after a brief illness.

In a statement signed on his behalf by Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations Office of SGF (OSGF) Secretary to the of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the president gave the directive on Wednesday.

Daily Trust reports that the presidency early Wednesday announced the death of Lagbaja.

“The President has directed that National Flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country for seven days in honour of the departed Army Chief,” Akume said.

He said that President Tinubu appreciated the services of the departed to the nation and wished the family the fortitude to bear the great loss.

By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor


Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, a major operator in Nigeria’s downstream sector, has denied blending substandard petroleum products.

In his press release, Group Chief Branding and Communications Anthony Chiejina, said: “An international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, to use it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher-quality production.

“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria. We should point out that it is not unusual for countries to protect their domestic industries to provide jobs and grow the economy. For example, the US and Europe have had to impose high tariffs on EVs and microchips to protect their domestic industries.”

Reacting, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, located close to the Dangote refinery, said it does not get involved in blending substandard petroleum products.

In a statement, Bob Dickerman, Chief Executive Officer of the company, stated: “Deregulated commodity markets work best with an open system of multiple sellers and multiple buyers bidding to establish the market price. For Nigeria to have supply options that include local refineries or imports is the mechanism that will establish the lowest sustainable prices. A free market is also regulated to ensure that all products meet the country’s specifications and that all players behave responsibly.

“On November 3, 2024, the Dangote Organization issued a Press Release. In the Release, Dangote alleged that “…an international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, to use it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher quality products.”

“Pinnacle Oil & Gas has the only depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery. Without equivocation, we state that Pinnacle Oil & Gas would never engage or attempt to import or distribute any off-spec or substandard product into the Nigerian market. Our company has a reputation for integrity and regulatory compliance which is extremely important to us.”

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has acquitted and discharged Justice Walter Onnoghen, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, on allegations of false assets declaration.

In April 2019, Onnoghen was convicted of the omission of funds in his five domiciliary accounts by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

A three-member panel of justices led by Abba Mohammed held that the decision was based on the terms of the settlement reached by the parties in the matter.

The panel ordered the return of the four bank accounts seized from Onnoghen.

The terms of the agreement, which the appellate court noted was voluntarily entered by parties, read, “The Appellant herein was charged at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), on six counts dated January 11, 2019, to which he pleaded not guilty.

“The tribunal before the commencement of trial, heard and granted an ex-parte application seeking for an order for the appellant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, and for the President to swear in the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, thereby removing the appellant from office.

“The appellant before and during the trial, raised objections challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), to hear and determine the matter same having not been brought by due process of the law, as the appellant being a judicial officer, ought to have been reported to the National Judicial Council first; whose findings and recommendations would determine the action(s) to be taken against him.

“The appellant also filed an application asking the chairman of the code of conduct tribunal to recuse himself from the proceedings because of the biased conduct he exhibited during the proceedings. The parties herein have expressed a collective desire to settle the appeals out of court.”

It further stated that pursuant to the above, it was agreed by the parties that the respondent conceded the appeals in the following terms:

“That the three appeals namely: (1) CA/A/375c/2019 (2) CA/A/376c/2019 and (3) CA/A/377c/2019 be consolidated for the purpose of hearing and settlement herein.

“That in relation to appeal nos: CA/A/375c/2019 and CA/A/376c/2019, it is settled that the code of conduct tribunal lacks jurisdiction to try and convict the appellant (a judicial officer) without first resorting to the National Judicial Council (NJC) in accordance with the following decisions: FRN vs NGANJIWA (2022) 17 NWLR (Pt.1860) 407 @ 468; NGANJIWA vs FRN (2018) 4 NWLR (Pt.1609) 301; OPENE vs NJC (2011) LPELR-4795 (CA).

“Secondly, that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction to have tried and convicted the appellant even after the appellant had tendered his voluntary retirement letter and same was accepted unconditionally by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” it added.

By Seun Opejobi


Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for the immediate arrest of the House of Representatives member representing Aba North and South, Alex Ikwechegh for assaulting a cab driver in Abuja.

Ohanaeze expressed disappointment with Ikwechegh’s “appalling” action against the cab driver, stating that it tarnished the reputation of the Southeast region.

An altercation had ensued between the lawmaker and the cab driver, Stephen Abuwatseya during the delivery of a package in Maitama area of Abuja.

The disagreement led to the lawmaker assaulting the cab driver, threatening that he can make him disappear from Nigeria.

Condemning Ikwechegh’s action, Ohanaeze’s factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to invite the lawmaker for questioning.

Isiguzoro said Ohanaeze firmly believes that it is imperative for all meaningful Nigerians to vociferously denounce the pervasive scourge of hate speech, violence, and intimidation in the society.

A statement he signed reads: “Ohanaeze stands united in its unwavering commitment to justice, respect, and the cultural integrity of the Igbo people.

“We have been appalled by the shocking and unacceptable behavior displayed by Honorable Alex Ikwechegh, the member of the House of Representatives representing Aba North and South, who has been implicated in a violent altercation with an Uber driver in Abuja, Mr. Stephen Abuwatseya.

“This incident, characterized by the use of threatening language and physical aggression, not only endangers the life of an individual but also tarnishes the reputation of the Southeast region.

“It is vital to emphasize that the actions of Rep Ikwechegh stand in stark contrast to the cherished norms and values that define us as a people.

“As Igbo, we are driven by principles of respect, communal harmony, and the protection of the vulnerable.

“The reported assault on Mr. Abuwatseya reflects not merely a personal failing but a broader societal issue that must be addressed with the utmost seriousness.

“Allowing such behavior to go unchecked would signal a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law and erodes public trust in our elected representatives.”

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally asserts that there is no amount of image management or public relations maneuvering that can protect Rep Ikwechegh from his rightful confrontation with the law.

“Public servants must be held to the highest standards of behavior, particularly when they wield authority over others,” he declared.

He called upon the Inspector General of Police to take immediate and decisive action by formally inviting Rep Ikwechegh for questioning.

A constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s new list of ministerial nominees, saying it completely breached the federal character principle.

He specifically said that the tokenism was too little and too late coming because many of the ministers have performed abysmally, adding that even the surgical operation said to have been carried out with the ministries did not have any major positive impact as it was more like cosmetic window dressing.

Ozekhome, in an interview with The Guardian, particularly accused President Tinubu of sustaining the legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari as it regards the non-compliance with the laws governing federal appointments to promote national unity and social justice.

He, however, commended the president for bringing all the development commissions in the country under one ministry.

He said, “If you look at the new appointments, three new ministers are directly from Ogun State, the same state that already produced the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; meaning that in a country of 236 million people by United Nations projection, a country that has 36 states and 774 local councils, Ogun State, which is actually one of the smallest states in Nigeria, has four ministers while some big ones may just have a minister of state.

“This action of Mr President is contrary to the provisions of Section 14 (1) and Section 14 (3) of the constitution. They are also contrary to the provisions of Section 153 of the constitution and Section 7 (1) of the Third Schedule, Part One, to the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

“The new appointment list has wantonly breached these sections. Not only that, what I saw is a situation where even the surgical operation done to the ministries did not have any major positive impact. It was more like cosmetic window dressing.

“It is only in the ministry of Niger Delta that I believe the president did a good job when he decided to bring together the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), North East Development Commission, South East Development Commission and South West Development Commission under the Ministry of Regional Development.”

The first daughter of President Bola Tinubu and Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mujidat Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, has been appointed Ambassador of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE).

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr Muhammad Sani Idris, announced the decision during a courtesy visit to the Iyaloja-General’s palace in Lagos.

A statement, yesterday, in Abuja by the spokesperson for the commission, Nura Muhammad, said Idris cited the President’s daughter’s passion for supporting disadvantaged communities, particularly Almajiri and out-of-school children, as the reason for her appointment.

He praised her efforts in promoting trade and commerce, as well as ensuring market women’s access to resources and opportunities.

The statement reads in part: “Chief Tinubu-Ojo expressed excitement and gratitude for the honour, pledging to alleviate the plight of these vulnerable Nigerians.

“She emphasised her father’s commitment to education as a lasting legacy for Nigerian children, evident in his own children’s lives.

“She commended the Executive Secretary for his service to Nigeria, and prayed for him to succeed in the task ahead.”

by Mary Izuaka


Dangote Refinery has failed to meet its daily petrol supply commitment to the Nigerian market, official data from a regulator shows.

According to the Dangote Evacuation Report, sourced from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), between 15 September and 5 October, the refinery delivered only 148 million litres of petrol, instead of 575 million litres.

Earlier in September, the federal government said the Dangote Refinery would supply Nigeria’s domestic market with 25 million litres of petrol daily and 35 million litres daily from October.

However, the data seen by PREMIUM TIMES shows that the refinery’s actual supply fell short of expectations.


Performance below expectations

The refinery’s performance between September 15 and 30 was 26 per cent of its target, with 2,207 trucks loaded out of 3,621 trucks sent to it within the period under review.

The trucks carried just 102,973,025 litres of the planned 400,000,000 litres of petrol earmarked to be lifted from the refinery at 25 million litres per day. With that figure, the refinery demonstrated a total supply shortfall of 297, 026,975 litres in 16 days. So the average supply shortfall is approximately 18.6 million litres per day or 74.3 per cent of the target.

Between 1 and 5 October, the refinery loaded 991 trucks out of 3,112 planned truck-outs. The trucks loaded just 45,114,534 litres of the planned 140,000,000 litres of petrol earmarked to be lifted from the refinery at 35 million litres per day, achieving only 32 per cent of its target, records seen by this newspaper show.

Although the total volume expected for five days should be 175 million (35 million per day), the total 140 million litres planned suggests that it was only for four of the five days between 1 and 5 October.

Based on the actual 45,114,534 litres loaded, the refinery demonstrated a total supply shortfall of 94,885,466 litres.

This newspaper has not been able to obtain the loading data from 6 October till date.


Supply breakdown

Loading data obtained by this newspaper showed that on 15 September, the first day of loading, the Dangote Refinery supplied the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Retail Limited (NNPC Retail Ltd) with a total of 2,486,842 (2.48 million) litres of petrol in 56 trucks.

On 16 September, NNPC Retail loaded 50 trucks containing 2,221,773 (2.2 million) litres of petrol. Another marketer, AYM Shafa, loaded 24 trucks with 1,120,465 (1.1 million) litres of the product. The total number of trucks loaded for the day was 74, while the product received aggregated to 3,342,238 (3.3 million) litres.

However, product supply improved marginally on 17 September but was still far below expectations. On the day, NNPC Retail Ltd received 4,063,526 (4 million) litres in 89 trucks, while AYM Shafa could only load one truck, which carried 44,999 litres of the product. NIPCO trucked out 360,161 litres of petrol in eight trucks. The total number of trucks loaded for the day was 98, conveying 4,468,686 (about 4.5 million) litres of the product.

On 18 September, the supply from the refinery also improved significantly but was still far below expectations. The refinery loaded 182 trucks with 8.39 million litres of petrol. On 19 September, the refinery loaded 246 trucks with 11.69 million litres of petrol while the supply dropped to 7.15 million litres on 20 September with 152 trucks loaded on that day.

On 21 September, the petrol loaded at the refinery improved to 9.40 million litres with 204 trucks loaded. The refinery loaded 127 trucks with 5.93 million litres of petrol on 22 September. On 23 September, the refinery loaded 106 trucks with 4.77 million litres of petrol.

On 24 September the refinery loaded 143 trucks with 6.67 million litres. Supply was reduced to 3.74 million litres on 25 September with 81 trucks loaded. The petrol loaded at the refinery on 26 September improved to 7.89 million litres with 156 trucks loaded.

On 27 September, the refinery loaded 138 trucks with 6.72 million litres. And 90 trucks were loaded with 4.28 million litres of petrol on 28 September.

On 29 September, the supply from the refinery improved significantly but was still far below expectations. The refinery loaded 245 trucks with 11.36 million litres of petrol and on 30 September, the supply from the refinery declined drastically to 4.64 million litres and 99 trucks were loaded.

On 1 October, the refinery loaded 248 trucks with 11.37 million litres of petrol. On 2 October, the refinery loaded 224 trucks with 10.04 million litres of the product. On 3 and 4 October, the refinery loaded 210 and 154 trucks with 9.48 and 9.48 million litres, respectively. On 5 October, the refinery loaded 155 trucks with 7.10 million litres of the product.

When PREMIUM TIMES confronted the Dangote Group with these data and sought clarification on why the refinery has not been able to meet its target, the firm’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, declined comment on Tuesday afternoon.


Challenges ahead

To meet its daily supply target for October, the refinery needs to load at least 500 trucks daily, assuming each vehicle carries 70,000 litres of petrol to supply 35 million litres of petrol to the nation daily.

In September, the refinery needed to load 500 trucks daily, with each carrying 50,000 litres of the product to supply 25 million litres of petrol. However, the data shows that the refinery did not meet this target.


Implications

The Nigerian government and the state-owned NNPC Ltd announced the full deregulation of petrol earlier this month. The NNPC Ltd said it would no longer be the sole off-taker of petrol from the Dangote refinery. Thus, any marketer in need of the product could approach the refinery, by far the largest in the country, to buy petrol. Marketers are also free to import petrol and sell it at a non-regulated price.

However, the removal of petrol subsidies has led to an over 100 per cent increase in the price of the product in the past year. This has also led to many consumers abandoning their cars and not turning on petrol-running generators, which has led to a significant drop in Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption.

The reduced demand for petrol by citizens, many of whom can no longer afford the volume they used to, means that the immediate impact of Dangote not meeting its production target is not being felt by many. Things may, however, change if the situation persists.


Background

On 15 September, NNPC Ltd began loading petrol from the Dangote Refinery as the sole off-taker of the product from the facility.

PREMIUM TIMES also exclusively reported that NNPC Ltd has ended its exclusive purchase agreement with Dangote Refinery, opening up the market for other marketers to buy petrol directly from the refinery.

This means the NNPC will no longer be the sole off-taker, and marketers can now negotiate prices directly with Dangote Refinery.

On 11 October, the Nigerian government confirmed NNPC’s stance.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said this marks a departure from the previous arrangement, in which NNPC Ltd served as the sole purchaser and distributor of petrol from the refineries.

Some sacked Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have approached an Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) seeking an interlocutory injunction to restrain the bank from replacing them.

The sacked directors who are claimants/applicants in a motion on notice filed on Monday insisted their employments were “unlawfully terminated” by the bank “without a valid reason.”

The CBN was listed as sole defendant/respondent in the motion filed on behalf of the dismissed directors by the Isa Mohammed & Associates (El-Shuayb Law Firm).

In March this year, Daily Trust had reported that not less than 27 members of staff, most of them directors at the CBN, were affected by the first batch of reorganisation by the financial institution.

Amongst those affected were eight directors, 10 deputy directors, five assistant directors, two principal managers and two senior managers.

The CBN relieved 17 directors inherited by the new governor, Olayemi Cardoso, with four others recently retired on attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.

The bank, however, made a move to replace the sacked directors by recently advertising various vacancies in the national dailies.

The directors faulted their sack, insisting it was against the civil service rule. They have filed a case which is still pending before the court.

They sought for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the bank from filling the vacancies in the director’s cadre.

In the motion on notice brought pursuant to Order 22 Rule 1 and 2 of the National Industrial Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2027 and under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the court, the applicants prayed the court for an order of “interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants/respondents whether by itself, its agents, servants, and; or privies or anybody acting on its behalf or receiving directives from it from filling the vacancy of whatever kind to the Director Cadre, or taking any step whatsoever to so recruit, arising from the unlawful termination of the Claimant’s appointment….”

The claimants argued that “it is trite that an employer can only terminate an employees’ appointment without a notice or payment in lieu of notice when the conduct of the employee is of a serious and weighty nature.”

“This will include offences with a criminal element such as fraud. The claimants not having being found wanting approach this Honorable court for redress.

“The defendants have been making efforts to fill the vacancy created by the unlawful termination of the Claimants’ appointment, without having regards to the pendency of the suit filed before this Honorable Court by the claimants, hence our application to this Honorable Court,” the application read.

The UK aviation authorities have expressed readiness to discuss the issue of slot allocation to Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier, at the Heathrow Airport, London, TheCable can report.

In response to a letter sent to him by Festus Keyamo, the Nigerian minister of aviation and aerospace development, Louise Haigh, the UK secretary of state for transport, said his department would be ready to “further discuss this matter” at the “upcoming International Civil Aviation Negotiations event in October 2024”.

“We consider the social, economic and political links between our two countries to be vital. They rely on a vibrant air services market, which I hope we can continue to protect by working together. International connectivity is critical for the continued prosperity of our citizens and businesses, and I therefore very much appreciate your representations on behalf of Nigerian carriers,” Haigh wrote in his response.

This is on the heels of the threat by the federal government to deny UK carriers slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports.

On March 30, 2024, Air Peace began direct flight operations from Lagos to Gatwick Airport in London.

TheCable had reported on August 11 that Keyamo expressed “the displeasure” of the Nigerian government over the “consistent denial of slot” by the UK slot office to Air Peace on the Nigeria-London route to fly into Heathrow Airport — the airline’s first choice since it began operations in the UK in March.

Keyamo warned in the letter dated August 1, 2024 that if Air Peace is not allocated a space at London Heathrow, Nigeria will be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports.


WHY AIR PEACE COULD NOT SECURE SLOTS IN HEATHROW AIRPORT

Addressing the Nigerian government’s displeasure in a letter dated September 5, 2024 seen by TheCable, Haigh said Air Peace could not secure slots at Heathrow Airport because the domestic airline submitted its request after the slot coordination process had concluded for each season.

“ACL report Air Peace sent late requests for slots for the Summer 2024 season and the Winter 2024/2025 season; their requests were received after the slot coordination process had concluded for each season,” Haigh wrote.

“Carriers can ensure they are in the best position to receive any available slots by following the correct processes.”

Haigh said capacity constraints at Heathrow Airport have reduced slot availability for airlines, with over 319,721 slots requested by several carriers out of a total of 290,580 slots available.

“As you may be aware, Heathrow Airport is constrained by runway capacity and an Air Traffic Movement limit which places downward pressure on the number of slots available in any operating season,” the secretary said.

“For example, for the Summer 2024 season, there were a total of 290,580 slots available; given the capacity constraints, historic rights, and the growth ambitions of all carriers, the number of slots requested reached 319,721.

“This means that carriers had unfulfilled requests for 29,141 slots, which were placed on to a waitlist to potentially receive slots returned to the pool.”

Haigh pointed out that Air Peace is operating from Gatwick Airport, which is the second busiest airport in the UK, with many connections to Europe, Asia, and North America.

“The airport benefits from a direct, mainline rail connection to the centre of London with connection times comparable to other London airports. Several carriers, from a range of nations, have developed substantial and successful operations to London at Gatwick Airport,” he said.


CONDITIONS FOR AIR PEACE TO SECURE HEATHROW AIRPORT SLOTS

In the letter, Haigh said the options available to Air Peace to secure slots in Heathrow Airport, according to ACL, are to join the waitlist, acquire slots through slot trading and commercial arrangements with other carriers or choose to operate from another airport, which Air Peace chose.

“ACL advise that carriers have three options in this scenario: join the waitlist; choose to operate to another airport, as Air Peace have done; or acquire slots through slot trading and commercial arrangements with other carriers,” the secretary said.

“We encourage Air Peace to continue to liaise with ACL on the process for acquiring ad-hoc and historic slots at the UK’s coordinated airports.”

Haigh said the capacity constraints in Heathrow Airport affect new entrant carriers.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru


ABUJA — INDICATIONS emerged on Monday that some of the Ministers are in a panic mood over the looming cabinet reshuffle.

Recall that Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had recently hinted at the possible cabinet reshuffle, where those found not to be active and adding value to the Renewed Hope Agenda, will be shown the exit door.

There have been pockets of criticism on the present crop of Ministers as some critics claim that the majority of them are said to be occupying such sensitive positions on grounds of political patronage.

Before President Bola Tinubu announced his cabinet, there were high expectations that technocrats would constitute the majority of his cabinet.

Sources close to the Presidency had claimed that before the President travelled to the United Kingdom for his two weeks vacation, a list containing the performances of the Ministers had been compiled by Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and head of Central Delivery Coordination Unit.

One of the sources said that Mrs Usman has the onerous task of compiling the performances of the Ministers and that she has diligently done her work.

According to the source, “some of the Ministers are jittery and have tried to lobby her but she is not the kind of person to be manipulated. She is a strict and thorough person right from the time she was the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority.

“The President is going to rejig his cabinet to bring fresh hands that will help to translate his Renewed Hope Agenda into a complete reality.”

Meanwhile, President Tinubu was said to have had a marathon meeting yesterday with Mrs. Usman in his office in Aso Rock. Also sighted at the Villa with the President was the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Zaccheus Adedeji, who doubles as Special Adviser to the President on Revenue and the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi.

It was reliably gathered that the National Security Adviser, NSA Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa were earlier in the President’s office.

A presidential source said, “it’s expected that before the end of the week, the President will announce a cabinet reshuffle.”

The source further said, “There is going to be a Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on Wednesday which may be a valedictory meeting for some of the Ministers except if the President decides to change his mind and delay the announcement.”

An oil and gas expert, Olabode Sowunmi, said Dangote Refinery did not commence domestic production of Premium Motor Spirit(Petrol) to sell at a cheap price to Nigerians.

Sowunmi disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television and monitored by DAILY POST on Monday.

He was speaking on the continued petrol pump hike which stood at N1030 per liter at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company retail outlets nationwide, despite the coming onboard of Dangote Petrol.

Reacting, Sowunmi explained it was misleading to assume that Dangote Refinery would reduce the price of petrol.

According to him, the business of Dangote Refinery refinery is not making a profit for its shareholders not to sell petrol at the cheapest prices.

He claimed that to the extent of Dangote Refinery being a business, its petrol price may be more expensive than imported ones.

“What the Dangote Refinery will do at the end of the day is to eliminate the cost of transportation if we were to import Petroleum products.

“But, it should be understood that it is a private refinery. They are not obliged as a private business to sell at the cheapest price but to sell at a price that will take care of their shareholders. To that extent, Dangote Refinery Petrol may not be cheaper than imported ones.”

Recall that Dangote Refinery commenced the sale of petrol on September 15, 2024, with NNPCL as the sole-off-taker.

Upon lifting Dangote Petrol, NNPCL increased the fuel price to N898 per liter.

DAILY POST reports that the latest hike in fuel price was on Wednesday when NNPCL retail outlets increased its price to N1030 per liter in Abuja.

Meanwhile, in September 2024, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said that its Refinery’s petrol is 15 percent cheaper than imported ones.

Remi Adebayo


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Save for divine intervention, an Ibadan, Oyo State-based Mr Akeem Adekunle would have been long dead after he boarded a painted commercial taxi, popularly known as Nissan Micra, operated by men of the underworld on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Adekunle, who lives in the Olodo area of Lagelu local government area, left his house to Sango to send a parcel through public transport to the Oke-Ogun area of the state.

He told LEADERSHIP that his ordeals began when he boarded another taxi going to Ojoo around 3pm on the fateful day on his way back to Akobo for a meeting with his social association.

“Two men were seated at the front seat beside the driver. I sat as the last passenger at the back seat with a woman who had obviously wept profusely together with another man beside her.

“My thought was that they were a couple coming from the Sango Police Station, which is just opposite the location where I boarded the taxi, after a dispute. I later discovered that they were partially unconscious because they both didn’t utter a word throughout my ordeal.”

He further explained that instead of heading towards Ojoo, the taxi driver said he wanted to pass through Agbowo axis to come out from the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway before heading to Ojoo.

“Since I was going to Akobo, I considered it a shorter route and cost-saving too. So, I told him it was also good for me. A few minutes later, we got to a deserted place and the vehicle stopped. One of the passengers at the front seat joined us at the back seat. I protested until the man pulled out a gun and announced that I had boarded a wrong vehicle. I became jittery and had to cooperate with them because I didn’t know if the gun was real or a toy,” Adekunle said.

He further said that as the taxi moved on, the man began to hit him with a fetish object on the chest expectedly to make him unconscious, but they were surprised that when they got close to the General Gas Bus Stop, he pleaded to be left off. “They ignored my pleadings, but instead, they further hit me on the legs and sternly warned me to behave.”

He added that the members of his social club, where he was headed for a meeting, called his phone because it was unusual for him to attend their meetings late, and when he picked the call, he told the members that he had been kidnapped and uncertain of what fate awaited him.

Seeing him answering the phone call also got the man holding him enraged and at that point, the hoodlum used the object to hit him again, seized his two phones and switched them off.

“We were going out of Ibadan and were about to turn towards Challenge from the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway when they spotted policemen on the bridge. They reversed the car and drove towards the Toll Gate. We drove about a kilometer from the Toll Gate when they parked. One of them who had been making calls to an unknown person on the phone alighted and went to make another call.

“He came back to ask for my name but I gave him the wrong name. He furiously returned a few minutes later and threatened to ‘waste me’ if I gave him a wrong name again. He hit my head thrice with one old traditional Yoruba cap. At this point, I was forced to give him my real name, and he went back to further speak with the unknown person on the other side of the phone,” he said.

When the man returned, Adekunle said he (the caller) uttered to his gang members that, “Baba said he’s a ‘bad market’, he said we should return him to where he was picked.”

At that point, he said he was not sure who was to be returned but the abductors turned back, driving on ‘one-way’ to join the road leading to New Garage, then Akala Express until they arrived at Apata and then turning towards Dugbe.

“I wanted to alert the police at any slightest opportunity but they were very smart. The three of them were Yoruba but also speaking a slang I didn’t understand. The driver was driving at a very reasonable speed not to be suspected and each time we came close to the traffic light, he would stop at a distance and only move when the light passed vehicles,” Adekunle said.

He said the taxi pulled over on Mokola Bridge where he was searched by the men he said to be in their 40s and they collected the sum of N14,000 cash found on him; and further asked if he had his ATM card but he had none.

Adekunle said he was lucky to be pushed out of the vehicle between 6:30pm and 7pm while the hoodlums threw N500 note at him to find his way home. “They had returned my phones to me and at that point. I called my association members that I had been freed.”

Asked why he did not report the matter to the police, he said he was too jittery to spot the plate number of the vehicle, stressing that although the hoodlums were not masked, they avoided direct facial contact with him and he could not recognise any of them.

Adekunle, therefore, urged security agents to be more aware of the new antics of criminal elements and enjoined commuters to be vigilant when plying commercial taxi called Micra in Ibadan.

“If possible, passengers should only board taxis at designated parks, but for those whose rotes would not permit, they have to be very vigilant. If not for God, my fate could have been sealed because I don’t know what could have happened to the other man and woman in the car,” he stated.

The Federal Government has said it is considering the employment of 2,000 teachers per state annually to address shortage of teachers in the country.

Which sums to 74,000 in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the Ministry of Education, the government was considering December 2024 as deadline for the implementation of the policy.

This was disclosed in a roadmap of the ministry which was obtained by Saturday PUNCH in Abuja on Friday.

Recently, Sunday PUNCH exclusively reported that 18 states of the federation failed to recruit teachers in five years.

This comes amidst the outcry over the shortage of teachers across the country.

The Universal Basic Education Commission has also lamented the shortage of teachers in public schools.

To combat the shortage, the Ministry of Education’s roadmap stated, “states to recruit minimum of 2,000 qualified teachers and certified by the TRCN annually; the Minister of State for Education to meet with the state governors and get their buy in.”

The ministry set December 2024 as the deadline for implementation of first phase.

The national assembly is considering a bill proposing an increase in the value-added tax (VAT) from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.

VAT refers to a consumption tax on goods and services levied at each stage of the supply chain where value is added.

In the executive bill seen by TheCable on Sunday, the national assembly is seeking to raise the tax rate to 10 percent by 2025.

The legislature also intends to increase the VAT to 12.5 percent by 2026 through 2029, according to the document.

“VAT shall be charged on the value of all taxable supplies at the following rates (a) 2025 year of assessment 10%; (b) 2026, 2027 2028 and 2029 years of assessment 12.5% (c) 2030 year of assessment and thereafter 15%,” the document reads.

On May 8, Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms, had said the VAT rate needs to be increased.

Reacting to the recommendation on September 8, Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president criticised the proposed VAT hike, describing it as a “regressive and punitive policy”.

However, Wale Edun, minister of finance, on September 9, said the VAT rate has not been unchanged.

In February 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had advised the federal government to raise the VAT rate to at least 10 percent by 2022.


CIT TO BE REDUCED TO 27.5% BY 2025

Meanwhile, the bill also proposes a reduction in the corporate income tax (CIT) to 27.5 percent by 2025 — down from 30 percent — and a further cut to 25 percent by 2026.

Companies with less than N20 million turnover are exempted from paying the CIT, according to the bill.

“Tax shall be levied, for each year of assessment in respect of total profits of every company, in the case of; (a) a small company, at zero percent; and (b) any other company, at the rate of-(i) 27.5% in 2025 year of assessment, and(ii) 25% from 2026 year of assessment,” the document added.

“Notwithstanding any provision of this Act or any other enactment, where, in any year of assessment, the effective tax rate of a company is less than 15%, such company shall recompute and pay an additional tax that makes its effective tax rate equal to 15%.

“The provisions of this section shall apply to (a) a company that is a constituent entity of an MNE group; and (b) any other company with an aggregate turnover of N20,000,000,000.00 and above in the relevant year of assessment.

“The companies covered under this section and the determination of the additional tax payable shall be in accordance with regulations issued by the Service.”

On June 4, Oyedele had said the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms proposed a reduction of the CIT by 5 percent.

He said the tax rate should drop from 30 percent to 25 percent to encourage businesses and investors.

Earlier this month, the federal government released the gazetted withholding tax regulations expected to take effect from January 1, 2025.

Stakeholders in the oil sector have canvassed measures the federal government should implement to reduce the impact of the total removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.

In separate interactions with LEADERSHIP Sunday, the industry players lamented that Nigerians, especially those below the poverty level, are now forced to further readjust their deplorable lifestyle following the consistent shock thrown out by persistent upward adjustment in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also called petrol.


The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had on Wednesday increased the pump price of petrol prompting other marketers to also adjust their pump prices.

The latest is the fourth time since President Bola Tinubu’s administration came into office in May last year.

The price is spiked by 15 per cent to N1,030 per litre in Abuja and N998 in Lagos as the NNPCL backed out as a middleman in the petroleum industry, setting the stage for direct price negotiations between marketers and the refinery.

The continuous increase in prices is attributed to market forces and financial constraints faced by the NNPCL.

In his reaction, the chief executive officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, said the latest increase in the price of petrol is regrettably ill-timed and does not reckon with the prevailing difficult economic conditions.

He said social, economic and political considerations should be taken into account in policymaking and that commercial considerations should not completely override these considerations.

According to him, there is always a place for political economy in the interest of the vulnerable segments of society, adding that the Nigerian economy is not ripe for full-blown deregulation and market principles on all fronts.

In his opinion, the social cost of such policy choices is typically very high, adding that this is an economy with very fragile social safety nets.

“Over 100 million people are wallowing in various variants of poverty. There is also an issue of policy sequencing. The present administration has presented an Economic Stabilisation Bill to the National Assembly.

“The bill is expected to bring some relief to the citizens and businesses. It would have been better to allow the proposed mitigating measures to be activated and gain traction before coming up with the petrol price hike.

“What the economy needs at this time are measures to ease the current economic and social challenges; not policies that would aggravate them,” he said.

Yusuf added that it is desirable at this time to urgently cut import duties and taxes by a minimum of 25 per cent on all industrial raw materials, passenger buses of 18 seaters and above and cars of 2000cc engine capacity and below.

“The customs duty exchange rate should be fixed at a maximum of N1,000 per dollar to reduce current prohibitive cost of imports,” he suggested.

He also added that relevant legislation should be amended to that effect without prejudice to the fiscal policy measures contained in the Economic Stabilisation Plan.

He advised that the government must be ready to trade off some revenue in the current situation and there is a need to seek to achieve the maximisation of welfare function for citizens and productivity function for businesses.

Yusuf postulated that government should not be too fixated on revenue maximisation.

In his view, the founder of Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr Johnson Chukwu, said the adjustment is in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which is clear on removal of subsidy.

Chukwu said the deregulation of the downstream industry would see movement of prices in consistent manner which is determined by the price of crude oil.

He said whether crude is sold in Naira to local refineries, it would certainly reflect the global market value which will also reflect in the price of refined petroleum products.

Chukwu, however, said what government should do to cushion the effect on citizens is to invest in critical infrastructure across all sectors of the economy.

“The subsidy removal will freeze the burden on government,” he said, adding that it is the responsibility of the authorities to build a productive economy that would boost income of citizens as the cost of goods and services would continue to increase with the price adjustment.

He advised the government to deploy resources towards building infrastructure in road transportation, sea ports, energy and water transportation among others.

A top legal luminary who wouldn’t want to be named said, the government failed in the sudden removal of the subsidy without conducting a thorough study on issues that such action could throw up.

“There seems to be inadequate preparedness on the part of government to intervene in areas where the policy shift could create problems for citizens and that is why there is public outcry,” he said.

On the issue of subsidy, the legal expert said it not illegal as subsidy exists in most countries of the world. “What we are experiencing is corruption which has caused widespread economic problems for government in the implementation of the policy. People hide under the policy to steal money and divert resources, but if it was properly managed, the benefits would be clearly accounted for.”

He also traced similar lack of transparency in the management of public enterprises leading to the privatisation of key government entities. According to him, in the Scandinavian countries, the public sector thrives because there are checks and balances.

Last Monday, the NNPCL announced plans to end its exclusive purchase agreement with Dangote Refinery, a move which signaled the end of subsidy regime to also allow other marketers to have direct contact with the refinery for product purchases.

The current adjustment has seen petrol now being sold as much as N1,030 for a litre of petrol at NNPC filling stations with independent marketers selling at higher prices, some as much as N1,200.

Following President Tinubu’s statement that “subsidy is gone,” the petroleum industry was thrown into a frenzy which automatically caused an increase of petrol across the country.

The government had maintained that the continuous payment of over N400 billion monthly for subsidy was no longer feasible.

The NNPCL issued an official statement in May 2023 following the president’s statement raising fuel prices from N195 per litre to between N448 and N557 per litre across the country indicating a 185.64 per cent increment.

The second adjustment came later in June 2023 as prices of the product rose again from N557 to N617 indicating an increase of 10.77 per cent.

According to the NNPCL, the increment was due to market forces.

The increment continued in September 2024 as petrol stations again hiked pump prices by 45.38 per cent from N617 to N897 per litre.

The increment followed an announcement by the NNPCL that the company was facing severe financial constraints, including high debt to petrol suppliers.

A statement signed by the chief corporate communications officer, Olufemi Soneye said, “The financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply.”

Also, following the decision of the NNPCL to quit its middleman role between marketers and the Dangote Refinery, the NNPCL and other marketers adjusted pump prices at their stations to reflect the actual cost of petrol at the refinery.

Various NNCPL outlets nationwide adjusted their pump prices increasing the cost by 15 per cent to N1,030 per litre while other marketers across the country have also adjusted their prices to reflect the current market realities.

As the NNPC exits the market the middleman-role, the implication is that the national oil company will stop taking care of the price gap between the refinery’s price and the selling price to retailers.

The NNPCL had claimed in September that it purchased petrol at N898.78 per litre from the Dangote Refinery while it sold to marketers at the rate of N765.99 per litre.

With this arrangement, the NNPC bore the burden of paying off almost N133 for each litre of petrol purchased.

Industry operators have projected prices in the Northeast to range between N1,060 and N1,070 while in the South-South, prices are between N1,055 and N1,075 per litre for the product.

The increment will see customers in Lagos pay N998 per litre, Abuja pump price is N1,030 per litre and other Southwest states will pay N1,025 per litre of PMS while customers in the Southeast will pay N1,045 per litre